What door to put in the bathroom so that it does not deteriorate from high humidity, is durable, reliable and beautiful? Not every material will be able to withstand specific conditions of service without consequences, so it would be impractical to choose a door, guided only by its suitability for the interior. Let's figure out which doors are best to put in the bathroom by type of design, material and external design.
Wood MDF Plastic
Glass Mirror Stained Glass
To withstand the conditions of use in the bathroom, the door to the bathroom must be resistant to high temperature conditions and humidity, ensure good air exchange and sound insulation, and have antiseptic properties. What materials will meet these high requirements?
Natural wood
A solid bathroom door is a good choice if it meets the following requirements:
- has an external water-repellent paint or varnish coating;
- treated with antiseptics;
- made of hard woods that absorb little moisture (beech, oak, mahogany).
It is important to install the door unit correctly. So that the box does not bend over time from the constant exposure to hot steam and water, it is fixed using an anchor and polyurethane foam. If these conditions were met during the selection and installation, in the future its durability will depend on proper care. From constant humidity and fumes, the outer protective coating loses its properties, and it must be renewed from time to time, otherwise cracks may appear on the canvas.
Covering from MDF or fiberboard
Manufacturers of MDF and chipboard doors assure that the products are absolutely not afraid of moisture. In fact, the structure consists of a frame made of pine, which is highly hygroscopic. The structure has water-repellent properties due to the outer finish of the canvas: the laminated coating is resistant to moisture, but until chips and scratches appear on the surface. There are other vulnerabilities: the back of the box, for which water-repellent protection is not provided. In just a few days of operation, the wood can swell and the door will stop closing completely.
Products from MDF and chipboard have an affordable cost, a wide range of models and a wide range of colors - these are their main advantages. To provide them with a long service life, it is necessary to treat all open sections of the box with a protective compound, make sure that the edge of the sheet is glued with high quality and does not have cracks, and protect the door surface from damage.
Metal-plastic
If you are going to purchase doors to the bathroom and toilet, and doubt which ones will last better and longer, take a closer look at metal-plastic structures. Aluminum and plastic, the main components of these doors, have many advantages:
- resistance to moisture, temperature extremes and cleaning agents;
- strength and durability;
- non-susceptibility to deformations;
- simple hygienic care;
- lack of a nutrient medium for putrefactive bacteria and fungi;
- low cost.
It will also be easy to choose a bathroom door with a design similar to other structures installed in the apartment: the external decor of metal-plastic PVC film allows you to get any color and texture.
Glass
Glass door - very good option for the bathroom, given the resistance of this material to moisture. There will be many disadvantages of this design:
- When hot water is turned on, the glass surface is constantly covered with condensation. Moisture flows down the smooth panel, accumulates in puddles on the floor and leaves streaks.
- Water stains, splashes, fingerprints are very clearly visible on the glass surface, therefore, such doors need constant hygienic care.
- Glass is fragile and, if broken, is also dangerous. So that in case of damage to the glass door, it does not crumble into small fragments, the surface is protected with a special film, and this affects the increased cost of products.
- Low absorption of sounds is another drawback.
Glass door designs are very diverse. It is customary to install deaf structures in the bathroom, therefore, designers solve the issue of glass transparency in various ways: they create stained-glass drawings, do spraying with paints, paste over with foil or matte.
Types of doors by opening method
Swing Sliding Foldable
Which door is better to put in the bathroom according to the opening method? Manufacturers provide several designs to choose from.
- A swing door is the usual standard option, quite convenient, if only square meters allow. The structure consists of a box and a sash attached to it with hinges. Provided that the bathroom is usually modest in size, the door leaf opens outward. This saves the area of the bathroom. It is necessary to install such a door taking into account that, when open, it does not block free access to other rooms.
- A sliding door does not require additional space in the room, but for it it is necessary to leave a part of the wall free, where the sash will move. There is another option: to equip a groove inside the wall, where the sash will go when opening. In this case, the door will not interfere with the use of free space.
- The folding design "book" or "accordion" has the only drawback - poor sound insulation. This design is compact and takes up a minimum of space when open.
Color selection
What color to choose bathroom and toilet doors? The entrance to the bathroom, kitchen and room is, as a rule, in the hallway. To avoid color dissonance, the most rational solution is to choose the same shade for all designs. If the door block placed in the bathroom is made of a different material, you must take care in advance that the decor of the doors is in harmony with the interior in color. It can be a colored textured PVC film, a similar pattern on glass and similar fittings.
Hardware features
When choosing a door to the bathroom, you need to take care of suitable fittings. These are hinges and a snap-on handle. It is advisable that the design of the chosen option corresponds to the fittings installed on other doors of the apartment. To check the quality of products, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Door hinges should not squeak. High-quality fittings open smoothly, but with little effort.
- A lock with a magnetic latch has a shorter service life than a mechanical one. Pay attention to the tongue of the lock. The plastic tongue produces less closing noise than the metal tongue.
- You can determine the quality of a doorknob by its weight. The iron core, which is characterized by a long service life, is significantly heavier than the unreliable silumin, a material for cheap Chinese products. The spring of the handle must be elastic.
- For the door to be locked from the inside, the handle must have a locking device. It is considered more reliable in operation when the latch is included in the handle kit, but during installation it is located separately.
All door hardware must be covered by a warranty. If the store refuses to issue a warranty card, it is better to refrain from buying.
Rating of manufacturing firms
Before choosing the doors to the bathroom and toilet, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the rating of manufacturers.
- "Alexandria Doors"- Ulyanovsk factory. Modern equipment from Germany and Italy allows us to produce products of European quality.
- "Volkhovets"... Doors of this brand are produced in Veliky Novgorod. Customers are provided with a very wide range of products in a variety of styles.
- "Dera"... The Penza company has been producing its products for more than twenty years. The manufacturer offers a unique design, high quality and affordable prices.
- "Stendor"- practical, elegant, durable doors from St. Petersburg. The factory is equipped with imported equipment.
- "Sophia"... The Tver factory recently upgraded its equipment. The products are made in accordance with international standards.
World famous foreign brands:
- Tre-Piu Is an Italian company. Offers non-trivial models with finishing elements made of aluminum, impact-resistant glass, veneer, fine wood.
- Garofoli- a huge range of models from the Italian manufacturer.
- Dana Is an Austrian company. It has been supplying its products to the world market for over 40 years.
Products from well-known manufacturers are characterized by decent quality. The durability of the product depends not only on how to choose a door, from what material, and from which manufacturer, but also on the correct installation work, timely hygienic care and careful handling.